U.S.-China Bilateral Relations: Economic Interdependency and Increased Globalization by Nicole Oberjuerge

It is widely recognized, both internationally and domestically, that the U.S. and China bilateral relationship is one of the most important, if not the most important, bilateral relationship of the twenty-first century. China's rising status as an economic and political heavyweight in the international sphere and the United State's position as the single remaining superpower means that it is necessary that the two states engage in open and friendly dialogue to promote consensus on shared concerns.

Common interests and global issues as disparate as climate change, national security, terrorism, resource and energy supplies, and global economic stability require bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Within the last couple of years overt bilateral collaboration between China and the U.S. has greatly benefited both countries. For instance, the United States supported China's entry into the World Trade Organization facilitating greater integration of the Chinese economy into the world market, while China opened up its state to foreign investments, including investments by the U.S.

The two countries are important trading partners. In fact, the U.S. market remains the largest export market for Chinese goods, and China imports a significant ten percent of all U.S. exports. In addition to economic ties, China has been a valuable partner in security issues. As a critical member of the six-party talks, China brokered an initiative with North Korea which suspended nuclear production on the Korean Peninsula and allowed officials of the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission enhance to North Korean nuclear sites. China is also a central regional power in Asia, with regional clout. Its regional position is essential to maintaining stability within Asia, fostering both international and US.-Asia relations.

Overshadowing the steadily improving relationship between the two countries however, are the perceived human rights violations and limited freedoms within China. Human trafficking, regional strife, illegal arms sales to countries such as the Sudan, and even conflicts over intellectual property rights threaten to undermine both the continued liberalization of China and cooperation-economic and political-between the two countries. It is imperative that the economic expansion in China be matched with an expansion of political rights and freedoms, but instead of attacking China for these abuses the U.S. needs to work with China in correcting them.

Thus, the real threat to a stable relationship is not China but the United States. Political posturing and pugilistic rhetoric describe China as an economic and political threat to the well-being of the U.S. Relations are viewed through a zero-sum lens-the US, can only benefit if China loses. As simple as the solution appears to be open and friendly dialogue-many people in D.C. insist on entering discussions as they would a competition, determined to win at all costs. However, I believe that all bilateral issues between China and the U.S. need to be understood within the greater context of Sino-U.S. economic interdependency and increased globalization. The two countries are extremely different economically, politically, socially, and culturally. These differences demand greater cooperation, greater dialogue, greater cultural awareness and sensitivity of national differences.

The two countries face an obligatory relationship; neither the U.S. nor China can perform effectively in the world market or political arenas without working with each other. Both countries, especially the US., need to recognize this. Although the relationship between the two countries has steadily improved during the last couple of years, a plethora of potential geopolitical issues could undermine bilateral cooperation. Political disagreements include perceived human rights violations within China, hostility toward the U.S. war in Iraq, and questions of Taiwanese sovereignty. Economic conflicts over the astronomical U.S. trade deficit-in excess of 150 billion U.S. dollars last year- problems with exchange rates and accusations of Chinese currency manipulation are also hot-button bilateral topics.